Deathly Vengeance
by KittykatMC
Summary: When 15yr old Jamie's drink is spiked by a new, lethal drug at a party by an evil bully he angered, it's up to Danny and the others to save him. But what happens when Jamie recovers? Can he move on or will it turn into a raging war? CHAPTER 5 NOW UP!
1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**Well I'm back and just can't seem to stay away! This is a story which has just been playing on my mind now - it's not gonna be very long, well I dunno we'll see how it goes, but it's just something I wanna write in between assignments. It's been a really rough start to the year and this is my way of bouncing back! This is the prologue so sorry it's so short but I want to see how popular it is in order to start writing the actual story so read it and tell me what you think so far. (I own the story and some of the characters but not the main ones, CBS does.) Enjoy! x

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><p><strong><span>Deathly Vengeance<span>**

**Prologue - The Fight**

**_March 26th 1999_**

The bell rang shrilly, signalling the glorious end of Algebra class and a long and tiresome week. Fifteen year old Jamie Reagan broke out of his sleepy reverie and glanced around in a daze at his classmates who were hastily scrambling towards the door.

"Don't forget to do the questions A through L!" Mr Chalk called frantically after them. Jamie rubbed his eyes, adjusted his cap, slipped his books in his bag and shuffled out of the classroom, eager to get out. Friday afternoon, weekend at last! He thought in relief as he slung his bag lazily over his shoulder and strode down the busy hallway to his locker.

"Hey Jamie wait up!"

Jamie turned and grinned at his best friend and neighbour, Dean McGowan running to catch up with him. They slapped each other high fives.

"Hey man what's going on?" Jamie mumbled.

"Nothing much, just the usual blah, blah, blah, I think I fell asleep somewhere near the beginning. So what are you up to this weekend?" Dean asked as they reached their lockers.

Jamie shrugged and absently started fiddling with his dial while struggling to balance his bag and books in one hand. "I don't know. I think I'm gonna ask Joe to help me practice for baseball try outs." He dumped his books in his locker and scooped out his History and Physics textbook, packing it into his bag, he turned to his friend. "I really hope I make the team."

Dean frowned at him, "You know J – it's not the end of the world if you don't."

Jamie sighed, "Yeah I know that but I've always loved playing baseball and I think I'll make a good addition to the team."

"Of course you will! You're a great baseball player!" Dean said with encouragement. "I mean we were on the same little league team right?"

Jamie chuckled, "Yeah, don't remind me!"

"Hey!" Dean playfully shoved Jamie, he stumbled a bit too far and collided straight into Rick Caine, the meanest kid in the school. He was in the same year as Jamie but he was sixteen and incredibly muscular for his age, large, macho and the ringleader of his small gang.

"Watch it Reagan!" Rick barked as Jamie bounced off him and dropped their books all over the floor.

"Sorry Rick. It was an accident!" Jamie muttered as he bent down to gather up his own books.

"Well while you're down there, maybe you can pick mine up as well," Rick suggested icily, folding his beefy arms and smirking at the youngest Reagan.

Jamie scoffed, "Right. Like that's ever going to happen. Do it yourself."

Rick's smile vanished. "What the hell did you just say to me Reagan?"

"I said pick your own shit up Rick!" Jamie retorted angrily. A vast crowd had gathered around the pair, a few of the older jocks 'oohed,' and shot Jamie looks of admiration. Dean placed his hand on Jamie's shoulder and tried to steer him away from trouble.

"Jamie - come on let's go -" He murmured through gritted teeth.

Rick crouched down very slowly so he was eye to eye with Jamie and said in a very calm yet deadly voice. "You don't wanna test me Reagan. Now I said pick up my books. You dropped them so you pick them up!"

Jamie stood up proudly with his own books and straightened his spine, glaring at Rick. "I don't think so Rick, I don't take orders from you, in fact my Dad and brothers arrest and lock up guys like you and your caveman pals!" He spat coldly, "So just remember that the next time you try to order me around." Jamie turned back to Dean, "Let's go." They marched through the crowd while everyone cheered them on. Rick Caine watched Jamie go with a mixture of hate and humiliation burning in his eyes.

"Rick! Hey, man," Chaz Burson, one of Rick's crones hissed into his ear, "Are you gonna let that punk get away with that?"

Rick's lips stretched into an evil smile. "No. No I'm not." He turned to his friends. "What are you guys doing tomorrow?"

"Nothing why?"

Rick continued to stare at Jamie's disappearing figure as he said thinly, "Because I think we should have a little party. And I want Reagan to be the guest of honour."

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><p><em>To Be Continued...<em>


	2. Chapter 1  The Call

**Author Note:**Thanks for all the reviews and support it means a lot! This chapter is the kick start to the whole story so read it and tell me what you think! Enjoy x

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><p><strong><span>Chapter 1 – The Call<span>**

"So how was everyone's day today?" Mary Reagan asked her family as she settled into her seat at the dining table.

"Okay," Twenty-three year old Erin said with grimace, "Still have a lot of studying to do though. All this balancing law school while juggling a kid, it's not a piece of cake like I thought it would be."

"Aah, you'll do fine babe, you always do," John said sweetly to his wife as he gently rubbed her back.

Danny caught Jamie's eye and mimed sticking his finger in his mouth in a gagging motion, Jamie snorted into his water glass. Mary shot her eldest son a sour look.

"And how about you Daniel?" She asked in a clipped voice, "How was your day on the streets?"

"My day went great Ma!" Twenty-five year old Danny replied through a mouthful of potatoes, "We caught two perps trying to escape through a window."

"Sounds exciting," Twenty-one year old Joe sighed with longing. "Man, I tell you I can't wait till I'm finally out of training and out there on the streets doing it for real."

"Only a few more months to go right?" John asked.

"Yep and then I'm all NYPD!" Joe slapped Danny a high five while Erin rolled her eyes.

"Oh joy." She murmured into her wine glass.

"Don't get too excited about it son, just remember that it's for real. Not in some training room, you won't be shooting at cardboard torsos anymore." Frank said cautiously. "You've got to be on your guard twenty-four seven."

"I know Dad," Joe responded sincerely. "I will be, I promise."

They continued to eat and banter for a while until Frank finally turned his attention to his youngest. "Jamie, you're awfully quiet. Something happen at school today?"

Everyone looked at Jamie expectantly. He glanced around with a shrug, "No, not really I just… it's nothing that's all."

"No tell us kid," Danny pressed in concern.

"I just had a run in with Rick Caine at the end of school that's all. It's nothing." Jamie answered, waving his fork dismissively.

"Rick Caine?" Danny's eyes narrowed as he exchanged a glance with Erin who sipped her wine tentatively.

"I said it's nothing Danny," Jamie repeated emphatically. "He was just being a jerk as usual. It'll blow over by Monday."

"Whenever the Caine's are concerned nothing is ever that simple Jamie," Erin said bitterly, pushing her food around her plate.

"What do you mean by that?" Jamie asked in intrigue.

Erin exchanged another knowing look with Danny, "Just –just make sure you stay out of his way on Monday okay?"

"But you don't even know what happened!" Jamie protested, "I didn't even do anything, I just bumped into him by pure accident and then he forced me to pick his books up!"

"And did you?" Joe asked sharply.

"Of course not!" Jamie retorted with indignation, "As matter of fact I told him exactly where to shove them!"

"Aah! That's my boy!" Danny sighed proudly.

"Rick Caine? Wasn't … his brother Hank in your year?" Mary asked her daughter with wide eyes. "The one that caused a lot of…trouble?"

"Yeah Ma. That's the one." Erin replied in a tight voice. She poured herself some more wine.

"What happened? You two have a thing back in high school huh?" John asked his wife with a smirk.

"As if!" She scoffed, "No he's someone I'd rather forget."

"Stalker isn't even a word to describe to guy." Frank said darkly. "Jamie if your sister says to avoid Rick, you avoid him. You don't want to add more fuel to a dying fire."

Jamie opened his mouth to protest yet again but decided against it. "Fine, whatever," He murmured in a sulk.

"This Hank Caine kid, he pursued you?" John asked his wife curiously.

"Yeah. And guess who had to go and get involved," Erin nodded to her brother at the other end of the table.

"Hey he left you alone didn't he?" Danny stated defensively.

"Yes he did," Erin answered gratefully. "Thanks to you. All though I can understand why his brother would take it out on mine."

"Oh great, that's all I need!" Jamie snapped huffily, "You guys piss off his brother a gazillion years ago and now he takes it out on me as payback! Nice one Danny."

"Jamieson language!" Mary scolded.

Danny threw down his napkin and turned to his kid brother in defence, "First of all kid, it wasn't a gazillion years ago!" He retorted sourly, "And second, I had to get involved because that guy is a borderline sociopath. Which brings me back to you and his brother -"

"Oh nu-uh, no way are you getting involved!" Jamie interjected with a warning edge to his tone.

"What? Why?" Danny asked in surprise.

"Because I have to learn how to fight my own battles Danny," Jamie replied in exasperation, "I mean – I'm gonna be sixteen in just a couple of months and I need to know how to handle myself."

"Especially if he's gonna be a defence lawyer," Mary added with pride.

"Just like his brother-in-law!" John quipped as he ruffled a disgruntled Jamie's hair.

"Anyway," Danny pressed on thinly, deliberately ignoring his mother and brother-in-law, "Kid, I just want to give you some advice about how to handle the situation that's all."

"I'm not punching him Danny." Jamie said curtly. "Joe – can you pass the salt please?"

Danny blanched in surprise, "Kid - come on – just one punch and I promise you that's all it'll take to leave you alone-!"

"Stop telling him that! Violence isn't the solution to everything Danny!" Erin interrupted airily.

"Aah now don't you start!" Danny sneered, "You weren't saying the same thing when I saved you from his psychotic brother eight years ago!"

"Everyone handles things differently Danny, you can't expect Jamie to act in the same way you do! It's not right!" Erin said firmly.

"Careful sis," Danny said in a voice of forced calm, "You're gonna get dizzy on top of that high horse of yours -!"

The phone rang shrilly, piercing through the argument. Danny and Erin continued to snipe at each other.

"Jamie, please could you get that?" Frank asked wearily.

Jamie excused himself quickly and darted into the kitchen, glad to escape out of that conversation. He answered the phone in relief. "Hello?"

"Reagan? Reagan, is that you?" The voice replied in surprise.

Jamie almost laughed out loud in the sheer irony of it all. He'd recognize that voice anywhere. "Rick? Rick Caine?"

"Yeah. What's up?" Boy his ears must've been burning.

"I – I don't know," Jamie sputtered. "What um…what do you want?"

"Well I wanted to apologize to you for the way I acted at school today," Rick muttered in a voice tinged with sincerity. "It was wrong of me to ask you to pick up my books. It was an accident – I was just having an off day that's all."

"Yeah, yeah you and me both Rick," Jamie said quickly. "Um… well – thanks. I guess I'll see you at school."

"Wait! Uh… my buddy Chaz's parents are out of town for the weekend and we were thinking of throwing a party tomorrow night. You up for it?"

Jamie didn't know what to do or think at that moment. "I um -"

"It'll be fun," Rick said, speaking very fast so Jamie couldn't interrupt, "You can bring that McGowan kid, he's your buddy right? Yeah bring him along, it'll be fun. All the cool, older kids are gonna be there."

Jamie bit his lip. "I uh - I don't know Rick..."

"Oh come on Reagan! Do something rebellious for a change!" Rick moaned, "Then people won't think you're such a tight ass!"

Jamie blanched slightly. Did people really think that way of him. His mind started spinning a web of indecision, Rick's voice was on the other end of his ear, egging him on. Eventually, he won over,"Okay. Then I guess I will."

"Great! That's great! But uh…Reagan…" Rick dropped his voice to a low tone, Jamie had to strain his ears to hear him. "Don't tell your folks about it. An unsupervised party, booze flowing around, a family of cops…"

"I know!" Jamie retorted in annoyance. "I'm not stupid. My lips are sealed."

"Cool. So I'll see you tomorrow Reagan?" Rick asked buoyantly.

"Yeah. Bye." Jamie hung up the phone and tried not to look to guilty.

A slight feeling of unease crept into his stomach and there was a niggling feeling in the back of his mind that something didn't seem right. He heard Danny's laughter in the dining room and seriously considered telling them what had just happened. But another, exhausted part of his brain told him that he should just grow a backbone and do something rebellious, that way he won't be such a - tight ass.

How bad could it be? And Dean would be with him right? Jamie muttered a silent prayer of forgiveness before heading back into the dining room, completely oblivious of the trap he had fallen into.

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><p><em>To Be Continued...<em>


	3. Chapter 2  The Party

**Author's Note: **Sorry it's taken so long to upload but I've been trying out different versions of this chapter and finally I've found the right ending to it. This is the turning point of our story! Enjoy! x

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><p><strong>The Party<strong>

_**March 27th 1999**_

"Ma I'm going out tonight!" Jamie shouted to his mother as he tripped down the stairs, hitching up his denim jacket. He put his cap on and checked himself out in the mirror. He had to admit, he looked good.

"What time are you gonna be back?" Mary asked curiously as she met him in the hallway.

"I don't know, late," Jamie shrugged indifferently.

Mary rolled her eyes, "Well not too late, you're not sixteen yet!"

"Whatever!" Jamie murmured as he buttoned up his jacket. "Like in two months I'm gonna be any less mature?"

"Ma!" Danny called from the kitchen. "You in?"

"I'm here Danny!" Mary called back.

"I just dropped the stuff off for tomorrow's dinner." Danny marched into the hallway, "Hey little brother. Why are you all dolled up?"

"Just – Just going to a friend's house." Jamie said as innocently as he could. "Play video games, hang out…"

"Which friend?" Mary asked.

"Kyle." Jamie answered without a beat, thinking of the first name that popped into his head. It couldn't be Dean, he lived next door. "Kyle Duggan."

"Oh, well where does he live I could give you a ride over there," Danny offered absently, playing with the cuffs of his uniform.

"No!" Jamie responded quickly. Danny looked up in surprise. "I – I mean, you don't have to do that Danny."

"It's no trouble kid, I'm on tour tonight anyway," Danny said pointedly. "I could even pick you up."

"Yeah maybe," Jamie muttered, his brain whirring with excuses. "But I don't want you to be late. I'll take the subway." He opened the front door and started to leave.

"Not at night you're not!" Danny said sternly, "I want you to call me as soon as you want me to pick you up!"

"Bye Danny," Jamie said dryly and closed the door on Danny's scowling face. He breathed a sigh of relief and hopped over the wall separating their house and the McGowan's. He met Dean's father on his way up the driveway.

"Jamieson, how are you?" Mr McGowan greeted warmly.

"I'm good Mr McGowan." Jamie smiled. "Is Dean in?"

"Yeah he's waiting for you, he said you guys were going to the movies or something?"

Jamie swallowed. "Yeah. Yeah, the movies. If that is what he told you then that is where we're going." Jamie said carefully.

"What movie are you gonna see?" Mr McGowan asked simply.

"True Crime," Jamie answered, immediately saying the first name that came into his head. He had already seen that movie with Danny and Joe last week.

"The Clint Eastwood movie?" Mr McGowan nodded thoughtfully. "It sounds good."

Jamie nodded awkwardly, "That's why we're going to see it."

"Okay well you boys have fun!" Mr McGowan laughed and made his way to his car. Jamie breathed yet another sigh of relief and shook his head in exasperation at Dean's lie. He rapped on the door.

"About time!" Dean groaned as he opened the door.

"The movies? Really?" Jamie shot out. He jerked his thumb behind him, "Your Dad just told me. Thanks for the heads up by the way."

"Oh damn! Sorry I forgot!"

Jamie waved dismissively, "Don't worry about it. Are you ready?"

"Yeah," Dean said hesitantly as he shrugged into his jacket, "Look man… are you sure you wanna do this?"

Jamie nodded, "If Rick wants to make peace then I say we should let him. My grandmother always says that everyone deserves a second chance – including Caine."

"Okay well, just as long as you know what you're doing," Dean sighed.

"I do. And if he starts then I'll just call Danny and he'll be down here like a shot!" Jamie added brightly.

Dean raised his brow, "But then he'll know you lied."

Jamie shrugged, "Then he'll know. It's my first offence and I'm the baby of the family so I'm sure they can forgive me. Now let's go!"

When the boys arrived at Chaz Burson's house they were surprised to discover that they were the only ones there apart from Chaz, Rick and his usual gang. Almost instantly, Jamie's instincts kicked in and told him to turn right round and run away.

"Glad you could make it Reagan, McGowan," Rick said in a forced warm voice. "Come on in." He pushed a cup into each of their hands. "Drink it, it's just coke."

Dean just glared at the cup and forced it back into Rick's hand. "No thanks, I'm not thirsty."

Jamie however, took a small sip obligingly, Rick's eyes were watching him the whole time. He took a larger gulp. "Hey Rick – um – I thought you said that there were gonna be other people here?" Jamie asked cautiously. His stomach was churning, he felt slightly sick. Why was he feeling so nervous?

Rick laughed, Jamie felt a chill trickle down his spine. He sipped some more of his drink. "They will be! I just wanted you here early because I wanted to show you something that's all."

"Oh?" Dean asked coolly, "What's that?"

Chaz ushered them into the living room where the rest of the gang were lounging around smoking something foul. Jamie coughed. Whatever they were smoking, it sure wasn't tobacco. Jamie gulped down some more soda to wash away the sour taste which had found its way to his throat.

"What's the matter Reagan?" Craig Thorpe, one of Rick's cronies asked with a smirk as he stubbed out his cigarette, "You never smoked a little grass before?"

Jamie straightened up proudly, "No. I haven't. And I don't plan on doing it either." Jamie's eyes were feeling oddly heavy, he felt a bead of sweat slip down his forehead.

They snorted with laughter. Rick bit down on his lip. Dean just rolled his eyes and said impatiently, "So you wanted to show us something?"

"Oh yeah." Rick carefully extracted a small vial from his pocket, his eyes gleaming. "You know what this is?"

Both Jamie and Dean shook their heads.

"It's a new drug we've been working on. It's brand new. It's called swan cause it's so damn beautiful!" Chaz answered with excitement. "It's like the best ecstasy you've ever done- times ten!"

The rest of the gang sniggered, Dean looked curious whereas Jamie looked simply horrified.

"Er… you do know my family are cops right?" He asked coldly.

The atmosphere in the room suddenly shifted, all eyes were on Rick. He just shrugged.

"But I thought we were friends now." Rick said with a sharp edge to his tone, "And friends don't rat on other friends. Do they?"

Jamie glanced at Dean and then shook his head. "So you just wanted to show us the swan drug?"

"Yes and no," Rick answered, his eyes glinting, "You're gonna be our guinea pig you two. You're gonna be the first ones to try the drug."

Jamie blinked. "You're kidding right?"

Rick shook his head casually. "Nope not kidding. I'm dead serious."

Jamie glared at Rick, "And what makes you think I'm going to do it?"

Very slowly Rick and his friends stood up and advanced upon Jamie and Dean with thin smirks spreading across their faces. "You don't get it do you Reagan?" Rick whispered with glee. "You've just done it."

Jamie stared at the now empty cup which was clenched in his fist. The awful realisation dawned on him. "What've you…done….to me….I feel sick….really… I need a…."

"Jamie…!"

Dean's panicked voice was ringing in his ears, it seemed so distant. He felt Dean grip his arm and try to support him as he stumbled backwards, the two of them watching in horror as Rick and his cronies closed in on them.

"Get him!" Rick growled. Jamie tried to make a run for it but was cornered by Craig Thorpe and two other guys who tackled him to the floor and pinned him down. Jamie yelped in pain as their hands forcibly clawed at his arms, his legs, even his head.

Jamie tried to fight them, all of them, "Get off! I said get off! My brothers are gonna kill you!" He just got a laugh in response.

"Listen to him giving orders!" Someone scoffed. He tightened his grip on Jamie's arm, Jamie screamed in pain. "How do feel now Reagan? Got anything to say? Huh?"

"Let me go!" Jamie gasped.

"Make us!" Craig laughed.

"Jamie! Jamie! Stop it you're hurting him! Let me go!" Dean yelled, he tried to run to Jamie, to help him but Chaz pulled him back and restrained him so all he could do was watch on in horror.

"Open his mouth!" Rick commanded.

"Get off me you psycho's!" Jamie screamed, struggling to break free. But what chance did a fifteen year old have? Danny, Joe help me! Jamie silently begged.

Rick straddled on top of Jamie and held his jaw with one hand while his other carefully dangled the swan drug vial in front of Jamie's petrified face which was turning red. "Where are your Dad and brothers now huh Reagan?" Rick whispered in fury. "Now open wide!"

"Bite me!" Jamie spat. Then taking careful aim, he literally spat right in Rick's eye. Rick blanched in disgust and wiped his eye with his shoulder.

"Right," He breathed, trying to force Jamie's mouth open but he resisted, clenching his jaw tightly shut. "I said open his mouth!" Rick barked.

Jamie felt someone's hand prise his mouth open and before he could scream or call for help, Rick emptied the whole bottle into his mouth. Jamie gasped and retched, spitting out what he can, trying desperately not to swallow. Jamie tried to shake his head away but someone was gripping it too tightly. Where the hell are my brothers? Jamie thought as he squealed in revulsion, feeling the drug trickle involuntarily down his throat.

"Drink up Reagan!" Rick snarled.

The liquid burned Jamie's throat as it flooded into his system, he tried to cough out the remnants, and could feel it dribbling out of his mouth, behind his ears, sputtering out of his nose, scorching his insides. His eyes were leaking, whether they were real tears he just couldn't tell.

"Rick I think that's enough!" Chaz shouted hesitantly.

"Yeah," Craig added, "I – I think he's learned his lesson now."

Jamie's ears were ringing, his stomach was stirring, he felt sick, really sick, and he needed a doctor…. Was he dying? Oh God he was dying, this is it. "I need help," He murmured weakly.

"Rick we should call an ambulance," Chaz suggested worriedly.

"Don't be stupid!" Rick snapped, finally getting off Jamie. "He's fine!"

"Please call an ambulance, I don't feel well," Jamie moaned through gritted teeth, then he turned on his side and vomited.

"He's really ill!" A scared voice in the background yelled, "Rick we should go get help -"

"Are you crazy?" Rick retorted, his voice sounding a little more panicked now, "His family are cops, they'll do us for attempted murder!"

"Let me go!" Dean angrily wrenched free out of Chaz's loosened grip and ran to Jamie's side. He felt his pulse, "Jamie? Talk to me – oh my God Jamie say something – Jamie please!" Dean muttered, terrified.

"Dean I feel really sick," Jamie whispered hoarsely, "Please call my -" He suddenly felt his entire body erupt into violent spasms.

"Oh God!" Dean breathed, he shook him, "Jamie stop! Stop!"

Chaz turned to Rick Caine who was standing coolly by the window, casually smoking a cigarette. "Jesus Christ Rick," He breathed furiously, "What the hell have you done?"

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><p><em>To Be Continued...<em>


	4. Chapter 3  The Stupid Kid

**Author's Note: **Firstly soooo sorry for not updating sooner but life is being bit of a bitch! Secondly, a huge thank you to all you loyal fans that read and review and for those that don't well thanks for reading! This chapter is longer so sit back and enjoy and tell me what you think! x

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><p><strong>Chapter 3 – The Stupid Kid<strong>

Rick hurriedly tossed his cigarette out of the window, "I didn't know he was going to react like that did I?" He growled in a voice tinged with panic.

"Well you need to get him out of here now!" Chaz whispered urgently, "Or else you'll -"

"Hold on – you – we!" Rick corrected firmly, "That's right," He added at the crestfallen look on Chaz's face, "You're right here with me. All of you so if I go down you're coming right down with me!"

"We need to call an ambulance now!" Dean shouted.

"Nu-uh, you, McGowan get him out of this house!" Rick ordered.

"What?" Dean responded in disbelief, "Are you serious? Look at him, look at what you've done to him!" he screamed. "Now I don't give a damn about you and your threats Rick but you did this to him so you fix it! FIX IT!"

Rick crossed the room in two strides and seized Dean in one hand and a limp Jamie in the other and casually dragged them out of the house, tossing them onto the driveway. "There!" Rick said casually. "I've fixed it. Your not on our property anymore."

Dean scrambled straight to Jamie's side and cradled his head. "Jamie, Jamie can you hear me?" Jamie's head was trembling.

"Get him away from this house now McGowan and you make sure he keeps his mouth shut! That goes for both of you! You think this is bad, you ain't seen anything yet!" Rick threatened before slamming the front door shut.

Dean turned back to Jamie and laid him carefully on the ground, "Jamie can you move?" He shook him hesitantly.

Jamie tried to lift his head up and focus on Dean but his face was swimming in and out of focus, "Dean… I feel really sick…" Jamie let his head fall back against the grass and groaned as another wave of nausea hit him. "God I feel like I'm dying…."

"I know, I know I'm gonna go get some help okay," Dean murmured in reassurance, "I'll be right back I promise."

Jamie grabbed Dean's arm, "No, don't leave me here by myself," Jamie moaned, "My stomach, it feels like it's on fire!"

"Jamie I have to! I'm just gonna run next door and ask to use their phone to call for an ambulance okay?" Dean tried to say in a soothing voice but his tone was cracking.

"Dean wait," Jamie gasped, "I'm so sorry I got us into this."

"What?" Dean blanched in disbelief, "Don't be stupid!"

"I'm serious. It's all my fault. It was my idea to come to this party in the first place." Jamie coughed.

"Jamie I'll make you pay me back later but right now we need to get you to a hospital," Dean said in annoyance.

"Dean!" Jamie choked, his muscles contorting in pain, "Please – please don't tell my family what happened. I want them to hear it from me."

"Jamie look – I don't feel right getting involved -"

"Dean please!" Jamie moaned through gritted teeth, his limbs quivering in pain, "Say what you want to the cops. Just- promise you won't say anything to my family. Not my brothers, or my Dad, not even my grandfather or mother or sister, no one called Reagan."

Dean sighed heavily, "Damnit Jamie, okay I promise now please let me go! I have to get help!"

"Okay… hurry…. I feel really sick…." Jamie mumbled as he felt the waves of nausea hit him again. He turned on his side and started to retch again, prompting Dean to run off, tearing down the street, banging on the nearest door he could find.

Jamie was just sprawled limply on the grass, shivering as the poison coursed through his body, the beads of sweat trickling down the side of his forehead. How could he have been so damned stupid? He knew his instincts were telling him something and he should have listened to them, just like his father and brothers were always telling him to. He didn't even want to think of how they were going to react to all of this. Danny would think he was just a stupid kid who could never be trusted again. And that's exactly what he was. A stupid, stupid kid!

He heard the padded sound of footsteps on the grass as someone hurried to his side. He felt them drop to their knees and frantically feel his pulse.

"Dean? S'that you?" Jamie murmured groggily as he turned to his side. He could just about make out a middle-aged woman with her hair in curlers, she bent over him and lightly slapped his face. "Who….?"

"Jamie? My name's Angie, I live next door. Your friend is using my phone to call the ambulance!" She explained quickly.

Jamie could hear a faint ringing noise in the background. His vision was becoming darker and darker. "Yeah… I …can… hear the…the sirens…they're on their way…" He mumbled inaudibly then coughed. Talking was just too much.

"I – I didn't know what to do so I brought some blankets!" Angie said anxiously. Jamie felt her drape some heavy blankets over his body. It didn't ease the burning feeling surging through his body. "There you go. Does that feel better?" She pressed a cool hand to his clammy forehead, "My God child! You're burning up!"

"I feel…. as if I'm… on fire," Jamie replied in a thick voice. "I… really need…some…help."

"I know sweetie, your friend is getting help, and help is on the way!" Angie responded in a panicked voice. She stroked his damp hair. "Help is on the way," She repeated.

"I'm a stupid - stupid kid!" Jamie choked.

"Hush now," Angie ordered. "Don't try and talk. The ambulance is on its way. You just hang in there okay?"

Jamie felt his throat close up, craving air. "I – I – need – water!" Jamie rasped, "I – I can't – breathe!"

"Wait here I'll get you some water!" Angie ordered hastily. Jamie felt her take off running back to her house, leaving him lying there, alone on the grass – dying slowly.

**9:03pm**

Danny Reagan had just finished his tour and was now waiting longingly in the queue at Krispy Kreme to reward himself after one hell of a shift. He checked his watch impatiently as he waited for the couple in front to hurry up and leave. His phone rang.

"Reagan," He answered dully. A loud crackle greeted him on the other end with occasional breaks, was that Erin's voice he heard? "Erin? I can't hear you the reception's bad, hold on." Danny hurried outside and yanked the ariel further.

"Erin? Erin can you hear – Erin – damn phone!" Danny cursed as he paced up and down in agitation. "How about now?"

"Danny? Danny can you hear me?" Erin's worried voice asked.

"Yeah I can hear you sis, what's going on?" Danny replied quizzically.

"Danny… it's Jamie - something's happened to Jamie - you need to get to Kings General now!" Erin responded darkly.

Danny's heart plummeted. "What – what do you mean something's happened to Jamie?"

"Can you just come to the hospital and I'll tell you there -"

"Is it bad?"

"Danny, I can't just tell you over the phone like this -"

"But it can't be that bad - he's at Kyle's house -"

"Just get over here Danny!" Erin barked.

"Not until you tell me what's actually happened to Jamie damn it!" Danny shouted causing several passers-by to back away hastily.

Danny heard Erin sigh on the other end before replying tensely. "He's overdosed."

Danny raked his hand through his hair, trying to process what Erin had just told him. "He's overdosed?" He whispered. "On what?"

"They don't know yet but it was a pretty powerful drug Danny." Erin answered thinly.

"Drugs? No. That doesn't sound like Jamie," Danny said cautiously. "Something's not right here Erin…"

"Well you try explaining that to Ma! She's going crazy." Erin snapped.

"Okay sis calm down." Danny breathed, "I'm on my way. I'll be there in twenty." Danny hung up his phone and headed straight for his car. Turning on the engine he caught a sight of himself in the rear view mirror. He looked like hell.

Danny punched the steering wheel in anger. "Stupid kid!" He growled. Then he slammed his foot on the accelerator and sped off towards Kings General, his mind solely focused on his kid brother the entire time.

Danny hastily parked his car then cantered through the entrance into Kings General ER. "Please let Jamie be okay, oh God, please let the stupid kid be okay." He muttered as he spied his family huddled together in the corner of the waiting room.

"Danny," Joe breathed in relief as he crept up to his brother and clapped him on the shoulder. His eyes were small and bloodshot as if he'd been crying.

Danny reacted quickly, he hadn't even noticed him there. "Joe. What the hell's going on man? Erin wouldn't tell me anything!"

Joe silently motioned for him to sit down on a nearby chair, away from the rest of the family. He glanced back at them before sighing heavily. "Danny… Jamie wasn't at Kyle Duggan's house like he said he was."

Danny shrugged, "Okay. So the kid lied. Then where was he?"

Joe shifted uncomfortably, "He was found lying in a neighbourhood near lower Manhattan but we don't know why he was there. The ambulance picked him up and brought him here. Dad called me and I came down here as soon as I heard. Then I when I saw Dean - "

"Hold up, hold up," Danny interrupted sharply. "Dean? Dean McGowan? He was with Jamie?"

"Yeah. He's the one who called the ambulance."

"So just ask him what happened!"

"I can't he won't tell me." Joe sighed.

"Yeah? Well he'll tell me!" Danny angrily started to get up but Joe grabbed his arm and forced him back down.

"Danny leave it," Joe said with exhaustion, "He promised to talk to the cops and give them his version but he said that I'd have to hear it from Jamie. Because he promised him."

"Promised him? Promised him?" Danny repeated in a thin fury. "Promised him my ass! That is such a crock of shit!"

"Danny -!"

"No Joe I'm sorry, promise or no promise I'm going to talk to him! What if Jamie can't tell us because he doesn't…" Danny trailed off and rubbed his face in frustration. Joe knew where he was going but didn't push it. "So what is it that he's done, that he wants to tell us himself?"

Joe shrugged, "I don't know. That's why we're waiting to find out. The only thing Dad managed to get out of Dean was that it wasn't Jamie's fault."

"Great," Danny murmured sarcastically. "Now I feel better."

They spent a few more seconds in thoughtful silence while Danny still tried to process the night's events in his head. Then he remembered something. He quickly turned to Joe with a frown, "Joe, on the phone Erin said something about Jamie taking an overdose," Danny whispered, desperately hoping that she had got her facts wrong. He searched Joe's face for the truth. The heartbroken look shimmering behind Joe's blue eyes forced Danny's stomach to lurch. "No…. Joe – tell me she's wrong."

Joe swallowed, his eyes glistening. "The ambulance said that he had ingested a powerful amount of ecstasy mixed with some other chemicals but - "

"What other chemicals?"

"I don't know Danny. They're pumping his stomach as we speak."

Danny turned away from his brother. Pumping his stomach…. Danny rubbed his hands over his tired, unshaven face in anxiety. He leapt of his chair and started pacing the floor, trying to process this thought which was gnawing at his mind. "This doesn't make any sense." He muttered in a panic. "Why - why would Jamie take drugs? He's not that stupid! He knows the deal!"

"Does he?" Joe replied in voice laced with heavy despair, "I wonder… sometimes the horrors of high school and the peer pressure. I admit I'm worried about Jamie and how he'd handle it."

"But Jamie would never give into that kind of thing it's not in his nature to do that!" Danny said forcibly. He sat back down. "I can't shake the feeling that something's wrong."

"What, you think someone made him take the drug?" Joe asked quizzically. His voice hardened. "Who?"

Danny shook his head. "That's why we need to hear what Jamie's got to say."

A loud ringing sound broke through Danny's suspicious thoughts, he glanced around in alarm.

"Code red room four! Code red room four!" A stream of doctors scurried past them like mice.

"Room four that's Jamie's room!" Joe sputtered in terror. Like a scalded cat both brothers scampered after the doctors.

"Boys?" Mary called after them in unease, "Boys what's going on?"

Danny tried to follow the doctors into Jamie's room but one of them pushed him out. "Officer you can't come in here."

"That's my brother!" Danny yelled. He caught a glimpse of Jamie lying on a bed, his chest bare and covered with tubes while a team of doctors swarmed around him. Erin appeared at his side, resting her hand on Danny's shoulder. She gasped in horror at the sight of Jamie. Oh God, Danny felt like he was going to be sick.

"Dr Byrne what's happening to him?" Erin asked in a voice close to hysteria.

"He can't throw up the remaining amount of substance which is in his system so he's gone into toxic shock," Dr Byrne said gravely. "But we're going to do the best we can to -"

"I'm coming in!" Danny interrupted stubbornly.

"Officer you can't!"

"Don't tell me what I can and can't do," Danny purred, shrugging Erin's hand off his shoulder. "That's my kid brother lying in there, going into toxic shock."

"Then do what's best for him and let us work." Dr Byrne ordered in a sympathetic yet firm voice. Danny reluctantly backed off. He quickly peered in through the side window and tried to catch another glimpse of Jamie through the slits in the blinds but he couldn't see a damn thing.

"Danny let's go," Joe whispered in a shaken voice, placing a hand on his brother's shoulder and guiding him away from their little brother's room. "The doctor's right. There's nothing we can do now except wait."

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><p><em>To Be Continued...<em>


	5. Chapter 4  The Intervention

**Author's Note:**Omg I am sooooooo (x10) sorry for not updating but please don't hate me! Anyway here is the next chapter where Jamie gets a good grilling from his family, especially a certain brother ;)

Enjoy and please tell me what you think!

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><p><strong>Chapter 4 – The Interrogation<strong>

Jamie's head felt heavy. Like his head had been smashed with a bowling ball. Or two. Bright sunlight poked into his eyes, he blinked himself awake and groaned. A man's face swam into view, he was leaning over him with his face twisted in concern.

"Jamieson?" He asked, his voice ringing loudly in Jamie's ears. He winced. "Jamieson Reagan can you hear me?"

Yeah, I can hear you, Jamie thought bitterly as he rolled his head to the side. Beside him, the steady beeping sound of the monitor measuring his pulse and the drip which was dribbling liquid into his arm told him that he was in hospital. He turned his head back to the man.

"Who….are…you?" Jamie slurred.

"I'm Dr Byrne," He answered kindly. "Jamie – do you remember how you got here?"

Jamie frowned. "Um…" What had happened? How did he get here? "I… can't… I – I mean I'm…."

"Okay," Dr Byrne said in a curt but kind voice, "We'll let you rest. You've had a shock to your system and your body is still trying to recover. So stay in bed all right."

"Sure," Jamie murmured unenthusiastically. I mean seriously, where else was he supposed to go? His head was thumping like mad and his limbs felt like sticks.

"I'll go and inform your family. I know they've been dying to see you." Dr Byrne left his room. It took a while for his words to sink in….family…. How did he get here again? Jamie closed his eyes and tried to summon the pictures to the forefront of his mind, but all he could see was a pathetic blank.

The handle of his room door turned very slowly and his sister's anxious face peeped through.

"Hey," Jamie purred softly.

"Hey Jamie," Erin crooned, creeping towards his bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Like crap." Jamie joked feebly.

Joe laughed nervously. "Yeah you look like it too."

Jamie flashed his brother a weak grin as his father and Danny spilled into the room. His mother pressed kisses to his forehead and fussed over him. Danny closed the door behind him and sauntered towards the end of his brother's bed. Jamie tried to read the expression in his big brother's eyes, hoping for some clue as to what had happened that landed him in here but he couldn't see anything except worry and relief.

Danny just watched his brother from the sideline. Jamie looked rough. He had dark circles under his eyes which contrasted sickeningly with his pale skin and his cheekbones were poking through his thin skin. "You really scared us tonight kid," Danny said evenly.

"Did I?" Jamie responded in confusion. He didn't really know what he'd done but thought he might as well apologize before he started asking questions. He shifted himself up slowly, "Well – I'm sorry. But actually the thing is -"

"You're sorry?" Danny interrupted in disbelief. "That's it? That's all you have to say? Sorry? You lied to us, go to some unsupervised party and almost die of a drug overdose and you're sorry?"

"Danny," Frank intervened passively.

Jamie's eyes widened. "What? Drug overdose?" He whispered in shock.

Joe narrowed his eyes. "You mean you don't remember?"

"I – I don't – I mean I can't -" Jamie sputtered in confusion. "Drug overdose?"

"Yeah that's right little brother you screwed up!" Danny spat, "You're still alive! And after what seemed to be the longest hour of my life -"

"Danny -"

"I come to you, expecting answers and all you can say is you're sorry?"

"Danny!" Frank interjected sharply. "That's enough!"

"No Dad, I want to know what the hell he was thinking putting us through that!" Danny yelled with tears of rage glimmering behind his eyes. "We deserve to know that at least, we're his family damn it!"

"Daniel just calm down," Mary ordered.

"Calm down? Look who's telling who to calm down…."

Images that had forced their way into Jamie's unconscious bubbled to the surface and made themselves disgustingly vivid in Jamie's memory.

"Jamie?" Erin asked in concern at seeing the horror melt onto her little brother's face. "Are you okay hun?"

"My God," Jamie rasped in revulsion. "That – that son of a bitch, I'm going to kill him!" Jamie roughly started pulling the tubes off his arms, sparking loud exclamations of shock from his family.

"Jamie stop it!" Mary yelled, grabbing her son's wrists, "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Let go of me Ma!" Jamie growled as he wrenched his wrists free from his mother's grip. He tried to scramble out of bed.

"Whoa, whoa where do you think you're going?" Joe demanded firmly, pushing his brother back onto the bed.

"Joe let me go! I have to get out of here!" Jamie shouted frantically as he struggled weakly with his brother who definitely had the upper hand.

"Hey, hey, hey you're not going anywhere! Now just calm down and tell us what's going on!" Danny ordered.

"He tried to poison me!" Jamie spat in rage. Erin and Mary exchanged looks of worry.

"What?" Danny leaned closer to catch every word Jamie said, "Who? Who tried to poison you?"

Jamie couldn't even say it. It was too humiliating. "Doesn't matter," He mumbled sulkily.

"J – Jamie!" Danny rebuked through gritted teeth. He was getting so damn fed up with his kid brother. Didn't he realize this wasn't a game?

"Who poisoned you son?" Frank prompted gently but seriously.

"Caine." Jamie replied curtly.

"Oh Jesus," Joe murmured, rubbing his face in agitation.

Erin frowned, "Caine? What's he got to do with it?"

Jamie could feel all the eyes burning onto him.

"Can you tell us what happened honey?" Mary asked softly. "Can you do that?"

Jamie shifted upright in his bed, his head was still spinning and he struggled to keep everyone in his focus. Running his hand through his damp hair, he took a deep breath. "Okay… I'm gonna tell you something but you have to promise you'll just sit here and listen to me." He fired his last words at Danny.

"Yeah I'm all ears!" Danny responded sharply.

"I mean it Danny," Jamie said tiredly. "Because you'll just jump down my throat and I can't handle that, not right now."

"Just tell us what happened son." Frank said comfortingly. "It's okay. You can tell us."

Jamie sighed. "Caine called me on Friday night to apologize after what happened at school."

Danny made a loud noise. Everyone looked at him. "Sorry," He said apologetically, rubbing his throat. "Just got something in my throat. Carry on kid."

Jamie glowered at him and continued. "Anyway, he seemed pretty sincere about and I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt." Jamie noticed Danny's subtle eye roll but chose to ignore it. "Then he asked if I wanted to go to a party at Chaz Burson's house."

"He did what?" Erin interrupted in disbelief.

Jamie shrugged, "He said it was just his way of making it up to me."

"And you believed him?" Danny shot out.

"Danny," Joe interposed warningly.

"I had no choice but to believe him!" Jamie retorted, desperately trying to make them understand, "You weren't there Danny, you didn't hear him. Look, I admit I did find it weird, him inviting me to a party and everything but he said I could bring Dean with me."

"Oh he said you could bring Dean that makes it all right then!" Danny groaned sarcastically.

"Danny please don't wind him up," Joe reprimanded passively.

"I – I just got carried away the intensity of it all!" Jamie stuttered, "He controlled the whole thing – all we had to do was be there!"

"What are you kid? A sheep?" Danny snapped. "He says jump, you ask how high?"

"I don't even know why I'm bothering to explain anything to you, you're obviously not listening!" Jamie grumbled in a huff.

"Or maybe you don't even ask, maybe you just close your eyes and let him push you -!"

"Danny just shut up!" Erin scolded. Danny fell silent and leaned against the doorframe, watching Jamie with a look of such burning intensity that Jamie actually cringed. Whatever trust his big brother had held for him he knew that it was broken now.

"Carry on Jamie," Frank commanded in a firm voice, "You went to Chaz's house with Dean I take it?"

Jamie nodded. "Yeah Dad. I went with Dean. And then once we'd got there Rick was being kinda creepy. Every instinct I had was screaming at me to just turn around and come back home."

"So why didn't you then?" Danny questioned cuttingly before he could stop himself. "You could've called me and I would've come and helped you."

"Danny!" Mary snapped.

"They wouldn't let me Danny! They had already spiked my drink with the drug but Dean didn't drink anything so he wasn't affected by it. Then they just pounced on us before we had a chance to do anything." Jamie breathed, closing his eyes tightly, trying to block out that memory of those boys holding down his head, his legs, pinning his arms down to his sides while Rick poured that lethal dose of death down his throat…. "Oh God I – I think I'm gonna be sick!"

"I've got it!" Erin soothed, quickly picking up the vomit bowl from beside Jamie's bed and holding it for him while he retched into it. "It's okay, it's okay," she whispered as she gently rubbed his back, reminding him horribly of lying outside Chaz's house while Angie kept telling him it was going to be okay.

"Just get it all out son." Frank advised comfortingly. He shared a worried glance with Mary who was fidgeting with the bedsheet.

Danny flinched and tore his eyes away, jaw clenched, anger and hate ticking through his mind. He vowed then and there that he would find Caine and tear his body apart limb from limb if it was the last thing he did.

Jamie wiped his mouth with his sleeve. "Thanks," He murmured to his sister. "I can't believe this is happening. I just can't believe it."

"Yeah neither can I." Danny whispered, more to himself.

Joe sighed heavily, "Jamie it isn't your fault. How were you to know he was gonna spike your drink with a lethal drug."

"That's just an excuse Joe," Jamie muttered bitterly. "I had a feeling that he was up to something but I like the idiot that I am, prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt."

"You are not an idiot!" Erin responded hotly. "You were willing to forgive him and let bygones be bygones. That's just the kind of person that you are." Jamie snorted. "No I am serious Jamie!" Erin continued firmly, "You don't have to feel stupid for being kind!"

"Your sister's right," Mary added faintly, "Rick obviously knew your kind nature and decided to take advantage of that." Jamie shook his head, they didn't understand, none of them did.

"But it's okay kid because we're going to sort it," Danny promised.

"We are?" Joe asked with a frown.

"Yes," Danny responded emphatically, "We're gonna do whatever it takes to track down the sons of bitches that did this to our kid brother."

"No," Jamie said suddenly. All eyes turned towards him in surprise.

"Jamie?"

"I said no. I don't want you guys getting involved." Jamie resolutely stared his family down, "I'm going to sort this out my way. My terms. This is my fight."

"The hell it is!" Danny growled. "You do things by yourself and you wind up in here. Look at you, you can barely stand!"

Jamie winced. He knew Danny didn't mean it in a cruel way but nevertheless it still hurt to hear him say it. He was almost sixteen and if he was ever going to be a cop, now was the time to prove himself and earn his stripes.

"I'm aware of that Danny," Jamie replied in a tone glazed with ice, "But it's just a temporary glitch and my guard was down. I didn't realize what I was getting myself into. It's different now."

"Because your guard is up?" Danny scoffed.

"No Danny, because I've been poisoned and left for dead." Jamie retorted waspishly.

The Reagan's deliberately avoided looking at each other. Danny closed his eyes in despair.

"Okay son," Frank started in his soothing voice, "I understand you're upset and angry. But what Rick did to you is a criminal offence. So it's out of your hands."

"So?" Jamie asked frostily.

"So that means stay out of it!" Danny snapped. He saw the way Jamie just kept staring at him, like he wa slooking through him and it frightened him. "I - I just mean that revenge is not your thing kid. You're too nice to get your own back."

Jamie didn't say anything, just continued to stare him down. He'd never let Danny know how much of a punch in the ribs that last comment was. "I'm tired. I don't want to talk about this now." He said coldly, clearly dismissing his family.

Danny took a step towards his brother who was glowering at him defiantly, "Jamie," He said with a dire warning edge to his voice, "I mean it. Don't you dare think I'm kidding. You take this into your own hands and your life will turn to shit. Back off. Just let us handle it. That's not a request."

"I'm going to sleep now," Jamie replied dryly. Ignoring his big brother's fierce glare, he rolled over and closed his eyes, shutting out the sounds of his overbearing family. On the outside he may have looked sound asleep but inside, his mind was vindictively plotting his revenge.

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><p>To Be Continued...<p> 


	6. Chapter 5  The Plan

**Author's Note:**Omg words can't describe how sorry I am that I haven't updated sooner! But this year has been pretty lousy! But you guys and writing is keeping me going. Anyway, I watched the season 2 finale of blue bloods today and loved the Danny/Jamie scenes! It's like a pathway to where their relationship can go during season 3! So excited!

Anyway on with the story - this the part where Jamie starts to plan his revenge with a little help from a friend! ;)

Please read and review!

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><p><strong>Chapter 5 – The Plan<strong>

_**March 31st 1999**_

Pretending that everything was okay turned out to be surprisingly easy for Jamie. Of course everything was far from okay. Jamie was still angry at his family for not understanding his need for closure. It was all right for them, he thought as they packed up his belongings, ready to leave. They weren't the ones that had been poisoned and left for dead.

There was a small knock at the door, Danny and Joe poked their heads round. "Hey can we come in?" Joe asked.

"Sure." Frank answered, picking up Jamie's bag and stepping past his sons, "I'm going to put this in the car, I'll see you down there in ten."

"Okay." Mary replied, "Have you boys come to see your brother out?"

"Sure have! We got this for you kid!" Danny said cheerfully, tossing a brown paper bag at his little brother who caught it unenthusiastically. Jamie peeked inside the bag and extracted a large cheeseburger.

"Thanks." Jamie murmured, dropping it straight back into the bag.

"Don't sound too happy Jamie you might pull something," Danny said gruffly.

"Right well be should get going, come on you." Mary said hastily as Jamie opened his mouth to answer back. She quickly ushered her sons out of the room.

During the whole journey home Joe, Mary and Frank tried to make forced conversation between Jamie and Danny but Jamie was too angry to talk and Danny was too stubborn to try.

"So Dad I heard through the grapevine that Rick Caine's been suspended from school." Joe said bravely, feeling Jamie tense next to him.

Frank peered at his son through the rearview mirror. "Yes. Jamie you don't have to worry about running into him at school."

"Great," Jamie replied in a voice oozing with sarcasm, "He tried to kill me but at least I don't have to worry about him stuffing me into a locker or shoving my head in a toilet!"

"All right enough with the attitude!" Danny barked, forcing everyone in the car to jump.

"I have every right to be ticked off!" Jamie retorted furiously. "He humilated me!"

Danny sighed, "Look kid you're not still hell bent on this whole revenge thing are you? The investigation's underway."

"So that still makes it okay for him to poison and humiliate me, is that it?" Jamie retorted angrily.

"No!" Danny snapped, "We don't want you to get in anymore trouble that's all!"

"Anymore trouble? Do you think I planned for this to happen?" Jamie asked in irritation.

"Did I say that?" Danny shot back.

"Boys!" Frank thundered, "Save it okay?"

Jamie collapsed into warranted silence and slumped back into his seat in a huff. He turned his gaze towards the window and refused to speak to anyone though he was well aware of the worried, furtive glances Danny kept throwing him.

As soon as Jamie set foot inside the house, he tore upstairs to barricade himself in his room. He slammed his door, kicked his desk in anger and released a frustrated moan. Danny didn't understand his desire to see this one through. He would've done exactly the same thing if he was in this position. Joe knocked his special knock on the door and opened it tentatively.

"Jamie can I come in?" He asked softly.

Jamie shrugged, sprawling out on his bed and picking up a baseball, "Whatever."

Joe sighed and sat down on the foot of his brother's bed, "Are you still pissed at Danny?"

"Is the sun still shining?"

"Jamie cut him some slack!" Joe said wearily.

"Why should I? He's the one that's being the hypocrite!" Jamie replied instantly, tossing the ball in the air and catching it mechanically, "You know he would've done the same thing if it had happened to him!"

"Exactly!" Joe said with wide eyes, "That's why he doesn't want you doing – whatever it is you're planning on doing."

"What do you think I'm planning on doing?" Jamie asked through narrowed eyes.

"You tell me." Joe growled.

Jamie bit his lip. "Well – I'm not gonna kill him if that's what you're worried about," He said sheepishly.

"You think this is a joke?" Joe shot out roughly, "We've been through hell these past few days! You almost died Jamie!"

"I know that Joe!" Jamie replied emphatically, "I got poisoned for trying to do the right thing- by the brother of a guy that used to harass Erin! Now he's out to get me! That's why I can't understand why Danny won't fight for me!" He couldn't stop the stupid, childish tears from involuntarily spilling from his eyes. But it was Joe and Joe had seen him at his worst.

"You think Danny doesn't fight for you?" Joe asked in a hushed voice. "Jamie, Danny is the one who pushed and pushed and pushed Dad to pull all the strings and break the boundries to get the best detectives assigned to this investigation."

"What investigation?" Jamie moaned incredulously, "He invited me to a party, he poisoned me, I almost died, end of story!"

"They still need to pinpoint all the facts Jamie. Like the drugs they poured down your throat." Joe said thinly.

"That's comforting," Jamie mumbled sarcastically.

"Jamie!" Joe scolded.

"You know I thought you would understand my situation but you obviously can't!" Jamie retaliated harshly.

"Jamie please don't do anything rash, I am begging you!" Joe pleaded desperately, "You don't know what the Caine's are really like."

Jamie's head snapped up. "What do you mean I don't know what they're like? Where were you when I was choking on my own puke for days?"

Joe lowered his voice, "Jamie listen to me. Trust me when I say this scare with Rick was only just the beginning. So don't push it okay."

"Scare?" Jamie repeated in disbelief, "It was more than just a scare -"

The door opened followed by Dean who entered carrying some books, a bag of Doritos and a couple of cans of beer. He stopped shortly when he saw Joe, immediately hiding the beer behind his back.

"Oh - hey." Dean said nervously, "Your Dad said you were up here – I dropped by to give you some of the assignments." He rested the books on Jamie's bed. "Everyone says get well."

"Oh joy, I get poisoned and still have to do homework!" Jamie grumbled. Joe rolled his eyes.

"If this is a bad time – I can come back -"

"That's okay Dean." Joe said quickly, rising from the bed, "I have to go anyway." He threw a warning look at his brother, "Remember what I said." He smiled briefly at Dean on his way out, saying casually, "You really don't want to push alcohol to my little brother at the moment Dean." Dean blushed and handed over the cans immediately. Jamie tried not to grin.

"Trouble in the brotherhood?" Dean asked as he shut the door. He jutted his thumb back, "I just ran into your other brother downstairs looking like he'd just swallowed a wasp!"

Jamie released a bitter laugh, "You have no idea!"

"Well I though you could use a pick me up after your time in the hell hole," He tossed the Doritos to Jamie who caught it unenthusiastically.

"Thanks man but I'm not hungry. Danny gave me a huge cheeseburger this morning and I couldn't even chow that down."

Dean straddled himself comfortably on Jamie's desk chair, leaning on the back with both arms. He smirked at his friend, "Is that why he's pissed? Cause you won't eat his food?"

"He won't let me get even with Rick!" Jamie protested, "Can you believe that?"

"Whoa," Dean laughed, "You wanna get even with Rick? I admire your strength Jamie but do you really want to piss Rick off even more after he tried to kill you?"

"So I should just roll over and let him walk all over me?" Jamie asked in a voice smothered with indignation, "What kind of a person would I be if I did that?"

"Someone who would have all his teeth and limbs," Dean answered in a serious voice.

Jamie glared at him. "I'm being serious Dean."

"I'm being serious!" Dean echoed loudly, "Even if you were going to get even with Rick what could you possibly do without getting expelled yourself?"

Jamie comprehended Dean's question. "Well," He said slowly, "He hurt me physically so I'm going to hurt him psychologically."

Dean's eyes widened in interest, "How?"

Jamie slipped off his bed, padded towards his computer and switched it on. "Check to see no one's coming." He ordered.

Curiously Dean carefully checked the hallway while they waited for the computer to boot up. "All clear. So what are you going to do?"

Jamie tapped in his password and then dialled up to the internet. "You're good at hacking into the school's personal stuff aren't you?" He asked absently.

Dean blanched, "What?"

Jamie shot him an impatient look, "I know that's how you got all those exam papers from last year."

"Hey those papers paid for my new bike tyre!" Dean said defensively. "Anyway why do you want me to hack into the school system. Didn't we risk our entire freindship over that exam paper fiasco? You know – you and your horse of morals?"

"Things change." Jamie said shortly. "So can you help me or not?"

"Only if you tell me what it's for," Dean said firmly.

Jamie licked his lips before replying quietly. "I need you to hack into everyone's email account."

"The whole school's?" Dean asked in shock.

Jamie nodded. "Yep. Because I'm going to send everyone a little email, starting a little rumour. About our friend Rick Caine."

"Jamie," Dean started in a voice glazed with panic, "Don't go down this road! I – I know how upset you are, hell I would be too but – come on man! If I say something's wrong."

"He's not going to know it's me!" Jamie said in reassurance.

"He's not as thick as we thought!" Dean contradicted worriedly, "A rumor spreads through the school about him and you think he's just going to take it lying down? He's gonna hunt whoever sent it and rip them apart with their bare hands. Try getting onto the baseball team in parts! Plus everybody knows you got beef with him. Jamie he tried to kill you because you disrespected him in the friggin hallway!" He added before Jamie could interrupt. "Imagine what he's gonna do when he finds out you're behind this!"

"He's been suspended," Jamie said, stressing each word, "He can't touch us! I need your help Dean please."

Dean was about to protest but the determined look in his friend's eye forced him relent. "All right. I'll help you get this guy Jamie. I just really hope you know what you're doing."

Jamie smirked, "What's the worst that could happen?"

"Never say that, the person who always says that, is always the first to die!" Dean said lightly.

"That's in horror movies Dean!" Jamie said wearily.

"It feels like we're in one now," Dean replied in a low voice, "So what's the rumour then? He's gay, he's a woman, he still sleeps with a teddy bear, what?"

Jamie's lips stretched into a mischevious smile. "He used to have a ballerina tattooed on his ass."

Dean's jaw dropped. "Oh my God! Really?"

"No not really!" Jamie snapped impatiently, "But it's good huh?"

Dean suddenly broke out into a grin... "That's genius!"

"So you in?" Jamie stretched out his hand.

Dean seized it, "I'm in! Now let's get this guy!"

* * *

><p>To Be Continued...<p> 


End file.
